Now in conclusion of this piece of description and vindication (being a description of Madam Heliodora, and a vindication, in so far as may be, of myself), I will add only this, that whereas those enemies that have left nothing undone to blacken even the most innocent actions of my life, have made foul charges against me, I do most solemnly declare that I never erred against that dear lady otherwise than by folly and presumption, and that those who speak to the contrary wrong not me only, but her also, whose virtues and misfortunes alone should protect her against calumny, let alone that desire for truth which should refrain from assailing her spotless name. CHAPTER X. OF THE CONFIDENCE REPOSED IN ME BY MY LORD, AND OF THE PITFALL WHEREIN I FELL. Now the next morning I came, as I had been bidden, to speak with my lord marquis in his privy closet, and was received of him very courteously, and asked to wait while he made an end of his matters. And this done, I looked that he should have laid some command upon me, but he turned himself about in his chair, and began to talk with me familiarly. “Pray, Mr Carlyon,” says he, “what do you think of my situation here? No doubt it seems to you that I have all that I could wish for, with six hundred stout fellows to do my bidding, and this fair town and palace for to dwell in.” So greatly was I astonished by the suddenness of this question, that ’twas all I could do to answer with some hesitation that his lordship had indeed seemed to me to be highly favoured in his lot. “So I thought,” said he, “but you must learn, sir, that power and high place are naught when there are around enemies that grudge ’em to you. And chiefly this is true of the Hollanders, that are jealous of our footing here, and would not willingly allow us even this poor little town from which to trade. But also it is true of those that are set in command under me in the conduct of this adventure, that are for ever plotting and striving to ruin me, and may yet succeed in this. They know that their power is great. Already more than one of our captains, that had proved his fidelity to me, has been summoned to France upon a sealed letter,[93] to linger out the remainder of his life in prison, and I know that the base wretches among whom my lot is cast would willingly see the same done by me. Tell me, sir, what you would consider the duty of a person of honour in such a case, whether to obey his majesty’s order, or to resist, if resistance were possible?” “Truly, my lord,” says I, “my impulse would be to escape, if this could be done without loss of credit, though I conceive it should be most honourable to abide and receive the blow.”